Unemployment climbed close to 7% in 2010
(CNS): Preliminary labour results from the 2010 National Census have revealed that unemployment climbed to 6.7% during 2010 as a result of the slump in the local economy. Despite the fact that the size of the workforce shrank a greater decline in the demand for labour resulted in a higher rate of unemployment than in 2009. The report, by the Economics and Statistics Office said the total Cayman Islands work force stood at 35,859 people in 2010 compared to 36,000 the year before. Of these, 33,463 were employed compared to 33,920 in 2009. The unemployed totalled 2,396 in 2010 compared to 2,180 in 2009, resulting in an increase by 9.9% and an overall spike in the unemployment rate.
“The results on the labour force indicate the need for continued efforts to create economic opportunities that would benefit the workforce,” the Premier and Finance Minister, McKeeva Bush, said in the wake of the results release, Friday.
The number of people in jobs fell by 1.3 percent in 2010 while the employment rate fell to 92.3 percent in 2010 from 93 percent in 2009.
The ESO did not conduct its annual labour survey last year as a result of the national census. However, the census did cover labour and employment issues enabling the office to produce a preliminary report on the workforce for the 2010 calendar year. This preliminary report comes ahead of the full report that is to be published with the complete Census
at the end of this year.
The census which was conducted in October and November last year revealed the local population 54,397 of those 43,855 are aged over fifteen and considered to be of working age. However 7,996 of those are not in the labour force leaving a total population of possible workers of 35,859.
The Cayman Islands’ Preliminary 2010 Labour Force Report is available at www.eso.ky or can be viewed below
Category: Local News
I really sympathise with some Caymanians, they have constantly argued that if expats go, they will have the jobs. Yet with the reduction of the expat population these jobs that would be for the taking by Caymanians have not been realized.
It is important to note that the financial industry is the workhorse of this economy and so provides a means of income to this population through the issuance of work permits.
Therefore the assumption that the government would be out to give in to stupid nationalistic tendencies is neither here nor there because the relationship of business and government gives product to a child called economy. To fend for this child the government and business have to work together. Sometimes we say that society is controlled and the workforce is exploited by the alliance between state and big business. How true this is ( even in the case of our economy) therefore to be in the winning side one has to find how they can become an important ion in this chemical equition. If one fails to do this they will keep on bitching and ranting about the expats when others who were sharp are busy going to shopping in Miami and touring Brazil that is the reality that CNS has not been telling the public.
Those who have good education that is relevant to the financial industry are either fund managers, lawyers or anything that is given title in work permits to ensure that they remain in the Cayman Islands. Caymanians who are qualified are the most sought after job seekers because they are an easier fill of the quota imposed by the government for a good reason.
That is the truth and the sooner we accept it the earlier we shall change our lives for the better.
Many sub-contractors who have been awarded jobs on the government sites (school projects etc) are still able to obtain and renew work permits for unskilled laborers where other construction companies had to lay off local workers due to the downturn in construction. It's a double whamy – those workers are not just holding a permit and don't even have a skill to offer, they also are working on GOVERNMENT projects!
Immigration is not asleep – they have slipped into a coma! It's all politricks. Wake up people!
headline should be: 7% unemployed by choice!
Here's a solution, keep opposing new projects.
Boy, Cayman is no longer for born and bred Caymanians but instead, it has been taken over by expats and CPRs (Convenient Permanent Residents). I can easily see why Caymanians have a tendency to dislike both as they only have an interest in themselves and not in advancing Caymanians.
We too want the best for our families and ourselves, and are willing to work hard to achieve this; however, we need an opportunity. Immigration Enforcement needs to do a better job in weeding out the lies that are told on work permit applications and fine the firms who are guilty of these crimes.
If you read this comment an disagree, then this post is directed at you! That's right, I'm talking to you!
do you have an interest in advancing expats and CPRs?? then it shouldn't surprise you that they've no interest in advancing you! Think about it.
I don't see how you can accurately calculate unemployment figures for the Cayman Islands with no tax or social security system.
There's no requirement to register (OK, you should be paying medical insurance and pension contributions but a lot don't) employees and a lot of people work for themselves without any form of registration so how are the figures compiled? Any ideas?
It is TIME that the Immigration Department does their job.
1.) Create a "sting" operation and advertise for domestic help and construction workers. When the applicants show up and tell "the truth" that they have a Caymanian who holds their permit, but "No, they do not have 40 hours a week of work or pay" then deport the worker and FINE THE CAYMANIAN.
2.) Make rollover manditory in the Civil Service and advertise for positions when contracts renew. Sorry, there are a LOT of degreed and skilled Caymanians who will never have a shot at those jobs and we do not have another home country passport to start a new life. We only have this tiny rock…give us a chance please MLAs.
3.) Immigration has to start cracking down on the favourtism and powerful business leaders and get hard working Caymanians back to work!
And stop immigration officers either actually running businesses that employ work permit holders or acting as retained immigration advisors for such companies.
This is one little scam has been going on way too long.
This is a big joke "Unemployment Rise" are these Caymanians , or they are persons on "convenient" work permits looking for nanny/domestic or any thing I can Do jobs. Check Ecay Trade and you will see people announcing that they are looking for a job.I wonder if Linda Evans Really got any idea asto what is going on ion Immigration. What a joke "people on work permit is advertising themselves for a job"
Yes we do haveCaymains withouta jobs, government still hiring and promiting expats – What a D—mess
thank heavens someone else noticed this; i thought i was the only one seeing this practice, but we can take it a step further I have seen advertisement on ecay where the boss is looking for extra work for their helper as they dont have enough work – how did they get the permit in the first instance? did they lied on the application? I often wonder if the authority was closing their eyes to this practice as it seems to be mostly our preferred expat population that were engaged in this practice. I thought we (employers) were to cancel work permits once we did not have enough work to justifytheir employment. This goes to show that Immigration is not practicing what they preach.
I na like ta work much
Presenting the unemployment rate in this manner is a bit misleading. I can't be bothered to do the research, but I think it's fair to assume that almost all the unemployed are Caymanian and that roughly 50% of the work force are on work permits.
If these assumptions are correct, this puts the rate of unemployment for Caymanians closer to 12%.
Note to BigMac – no-one wins an election with an unemployment rate of 12%.
It is a well known fact that those companies run by permit /PR holders are only interested in their own kind getting a job. They conspire to keep Caymanians out of the workforce by making up all kind of lies to tell Immigration board members as to why a Caymanian can't get the job and why they need the permit holder.
So much injustice in this island, the expats getting richer and the Caymanians just barely getting by. What a shame and a disgrace; they hold government hostage by saying that they are going to move to another jurisdiction if they can't get their permits.
At the end of the day it is they who are storing up all the riches anyway, so I say, let them move their bloody business, as Caymanians are not making it into any senior positions in some of these firms anyway. And if they do they have to work longer and harder than the permit holder just to show that they are as good or better.
Bet permit holders could not get away with this sh$t in the Bahamas. The Bahamian governent looks after its own first and foremost!
Shoulder, chip on. Rearrange to make a sentance!
Don't tell him about the secret expat gold vault where we store all our riches, it might get tunnelled into!
I just read that Miami's tourist business set all-time records in 2010. Why, you say? Probably price and product not based on cruise ships.
One of the root causes for Caymanian unemployment is the indentured slavery law.
The immigration law allows Caymanian employers to import indentured slaves who:
– will work for obsenely low wages in this high cost-of-living environment.
– will not complain when their pension deductions are not paid into the pension system.
– will not complain when their health care deducstion are are not paid into the health insurance company.
– will not complain when they are asked to work long hours with no over-time or even extra straight time for the extra hours.
– will show up on time, rain or shine out of fear of deportation.
– will work hard out of fear of deportation.
– will quietly and politely put up with the abuse with no drama.
– will be deported within a day or two if they do complain.
How can an honest, hardworking Caymanian compete in this labour market?
Unemployed Caymanians have been "sold down the river". Who is the seller? Their fellow fat cat Caymanian employers who have sold out their fellow Caymanians for a tidy profit.
Solution? Introduce true Christianity into the immigration law.
"Their fellow fat cat Caymanian employers who have sold out their fellow Caymanians for a tidy profit".
Many employers who do all of what you mention are not Caymanian, or at least not born Caymanians.
Oh plesae, here we go again, blame everyone else for your short comings. Will a Caymanian work at Burger King, Wendy's, Housekeeping? No, they wont even if the wages are 10.00 per hour, you know why? They have no experience yet they want the high paying job for the get go…so stop whining and stop blaming employers for the problems here in the Cayman Islands. Oh yes and remember "I don't work on weekends, I have to go out on Friday night, I have a tooth ache, its raining, should i continue??????
Looking forward to Ezzard on Rooster asking for 2396 work permits to be cancelled.
You know a lizard like yourself need to stop fretting! Sexy legs, good meaty body… did it ever hit you, you're indigenous?!
Any comment from those anti-expat/it all came from the seamen's financial remittals 50 years ago posters on CNS?